photo by Matt Haas
ON FRIDAY, MAY 19th, WE’RE RETURNING WITH “SERENDIPITY” FT. RAY CHI.

Ray Chi is a modern renaissance man. He is a sculptor, a site-specific installation artist, a furniture maker, a multi-media artist, an interactive designer. His interactive work includes videos and interactive guides for many museums around the world, from our own Milwaukee Art Museum to the Frida Kahlo Museum, where he got a behind-the-scenes tour of the artist’s home. He has made art of teeter totters and bicycles, as well as turned bicycle racks into public art. Much of Ray’s work blurs the lines between work and play, form and function, and art and entertainment. Below, we caught up with Ray to get to know him better.

What do you typically eat for breakfast? On a good day - homemade sourdough bread with a poached farm-fresh egg on a bed of baby arugula. On 99% of days - whatever leftover breakfast my son didn’t eat that I have time to stuff in my face while racing out the door.

What do people know you for? I’m not sure why people would know me but probably for my high level of modesty.

How is Milwaukee special to you? It is the rare place where you can own a home, find fossils on a beach, catch a Kool Keith show, eat some pretty good bibim-bop, and find a good parking spot - all with relative ease! Also, American Science and Surplus.

What may people not know about you? I am a classically trained cellist and have a permanent retainer on the inside of my lower teeth.

What drives your creativity? I see so much potential in everyday objects and mundane spaces in the city. I try to design possibilities for the ordinary to become extraordinary and look for ways to increase encounters with beauty in our daily lives. I am also always inspired by the boundless ingenuity of children and the quiet rigor and persistence of the makers and artists that make up Milwaukee’s creative community.

What are you going to talk to us about this month? I will be speaking about my work in the context of serendipitous moments and relationships that have helped shape the person I am today. I will touch on public art, collaborative work, furniture design, playgrounds, American Movie, and more!

Ticket registration for “SERENDIPITY” opens here, Monday, May 15th at 11 AM CST. Grab a ticket as fast as you can — they are free but limited!